Lunar Landing

  Three days had past and the crusaders had enough of waiting. The first rooster that croaked, and the first clock that rung. The crusaders were out their doors and running toward Twilights library. Apple Bloom sprinted through the marketplace, dodging and weaving between ponies as she ran. She ducked, barely hitting her head on crate being carried by a pony. She jumped over a fallen fruit stand, and ignored the ranting pony who was yelling at her. Apple Bloom ran full sprint out of the marketplace and soon was running toward the tree house. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle soon joined her as the three saw the large tree house in the horizon of the morning sunrise. Although, Apple Bloom felt anxiety came over her as she noticed black scorched leaves amongst the green of the tree. She also noticed the entire top floor of the tree house windows were shattered. She worried that Twilight and Jason had gotten into a fight and the burns and shattered windows were left overs of the fight. If that was the case though,the police would've surrounded the tree house with yellow tape by now and either Jason or Twilight would be either dead or in handcuffs. Wouldn't be the first time Twilight got the police on her flank for noise complaints. Though that only made Apple Blooms anxiety increase and she could feel herself slowing down. She didn't notice the burning in her lungs and the rapid beating of her heart, she was to fixed on the tree house. The three stopped a good ten feet from the front door and gazed apon it. More burn marks could be seen and now slash marks from a blade were visible, the crusaders felt their hearts skip a beat and their stomachs twisted. Apple Bloom shuffled her hooves against the dirt and slowly walked toward the front door.

  She gulped and knocked two times. Nothing. She knocked again and got the same answer. She looked back toward her friends who somehow got very close to her without Apple Bloom knowing. So much they were practically leaning on the country filly.

"Do...do you think their okay?"

"How should I know?"

"Would ya'll be quiet! I heard something."

  Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle silenced themselves and watched as Apple Bloom put her ear to the door. Her cheek mushed against it and she heard heavy footsteps inside. Their were multiple steps, both of hooves and heavy boots. She signed and pulled away form the door with a small smile on her face. She put a hand to her heart to see if it was still beating, with a healthy beat she signed again.

"Their inside, I can hear their voices and I can hear Jason's boots hitting the floor."

  Scootaloo grabbed the handle and her eyes widened as the front door slowly creaked open. Inside the library were walls covered in black scorches and books were on the floor destroyed. Spike was laying on the floor spread eagle with a book covering his face. The crusaders walked in and Apple Bloom slightly kicked Spike on his foot. She scrambled and shot straight up with the book falling to his lap. He took it off and saw the three fillies looking at him.

"Oh uh...hey girls."

  His voice was embarrassed and the crusaders the nervousness in his body language. The looked at each other.

"Where are Twilight and Jason Spike?" Sweetie Belle asked.

  The drake scratched his head and closed his eyes. Spikes head was ringing and he felt as though he had a hang over. He stood up and signed apon seeing the library in ruin. He imagined the countless hours of restocking the shelves once Twilight order new ones. Almost half the library selection was either burned to a crisp or in the other room. Speaking of which...

"Twilight isn't here, she went Canterlot to pick up almost a carriage load of new books."

  The crusaders looked at each other with confused looks.

"If that's the case, who was talking with-?"

"I must admit Sir Jason, your immortality is enough to rival me and my sisters."

  The fillies and Spike looked toward a door opening to the kitchen and saw the co-ruler of Equestria, Princess Luna walking with a surprisingly calm Jason next to her. Luna had a happy look on her face while Jason was looking straight ahead with his axe still in his left hand. Luna and Jason stopped as they noticed the fillies and Spike looking at them. Luna smiled at the crusaders.

"Welcome children, I must apologize for the surprise visit and the condition of the library but Twilight got carried away with Jason's immortality and she tested every destruction spell know to unicorns AND alicorns. She is fortunate to not have destroyed her entire library with the amount of spells she casted. I must admit myself though, when I came last night and saw Sir Jason sitting calmly on a couch and Twilight Sparkle casting spells on him just for it to bounce off was quite amusing."

  She looked toward the revenant who was lifting the crusaders and putting Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo on his shoulders while Apple Bloom climbed on top of his head. Luna giggled.

"And I must admit his relationship with you three is absolutely adorable."

  The crusaders giggled and hugged Jason's head as the wolf man stood at his full height, not moving a muscle. Spike picked up remaining books on the ground that weren't destroyed, what ever remained. Luna sat down on a semi burned couch and the crusaders climbed off Jason and sat near next to him as he sat on the couch. He looked into space as the ponies engaged in conversation.

"Have you learned anything from Jason Princess?" Apple Bloom asked.

  Luna tapped her chin with her finger and gave a puzzling look. She then smiled and looked back at the crusaders.

"Actually, I learned a lot about him from his dreams."

  The crusaders looked at the stiff as a board wolf man.

"He dreams?" Sweetie Belle asked.

  Luna looked at Jason and saw his teeth slightly gape open and then close. He wasn't staring into space, he was indeed listening. Just in his own way. She smiled again and looked down at the fillies using his lap as a pillow.

"Oh yes, its mostly of his childhood though and remembering his mother. Other times he remembers fighting with various enemies."

"He didn't get made at you for looking through his thoughts?" Apple Bloom gave a surprised look.

"They way I convinced him I was a friend was actually lifting a horrifying night mare from his current dream." she said nonchalantly.

  Luna looked back toward Jason was slightly turning his head toward her. She could see the half closed eye behind his mask. She could see the calm look in his eye and how for the first time in his life, she could see Jason was well rested.

"Though, he had a very odd way of thanking me" Luna said as her cheeks turned red and her voice went lighter.

  The crusaders smiled and if they were being told a fairy tale. They felt Jason lift his arm and move it toward Luna. The three giggled as Jason patted Luna on her head and stroked her mane. She signed happily and her cheeks were brighter. Jason cocked his head at the reaction. He did it with the crusaders so he figured the pretty blue pony liked it to, though it seemed as though she liked it to much. He patted her head once more and pulled his arm back and laid in on his axe. The fillies giggled as Luna regained her bearing. Apple Bloom then remembered a question she wanted to ask.

"Wait princess. Why are you besides wanting to have a date with Jason?"

  Luna's blush returned with a vengeance and soon her entire face looked like a tomato. She scrambled to find her voice again as it only came out a grunts. She couched into her fist and breathed.

"I...didn't come here for a date Apple Bloom, I came here to ask Sir Jason for help."

"What sort of help?" Scootaloo chimed in.

  Luna rubbed the back of her neck. She didn't ant to get the fillies mixed in with the situation with the Disciples of Tarturus, but after receiving a report from scouts saying their marching for PonyVille, she had not choice but to tell.

"Well you see little ones, I-"

  A sudden explosion brought the entire side wall of the library into a hellish blaze and the couch was flipped over, causing the crusaders and Luna to fall to the ground. Jason landed on his boots and his chest raised in anger. Luna was on one knee as she looked over the children.

BOOM!

  A large cannon shot past Jason as it impacted the wall behind him and made a deep crater in it. The sound or the cannon didn't even faze him. Luna grabbed the fillies using her magic and lifted them to the upper part of the library where Spike took each one in his arms and lightly set them down next to him. Luna flew to the upper level and gave a serious tone to the four.

"Stay here and by Faust don't come out!"

  Luna shot down and landed next to the revenant. Her horn engulfed itself in purple magic and Luna's eyes turned pure white. She reached out and a sword manifested in her hand. She then felt her elegant dress change to hardened Lunar armor. Jason shot a looked toward Luna as she got in a ready stance. He shrugged and gripped the handle of his axe. A cloud of dust blocked their vision from seeing their attackers, but Jason could smell them. He could smell their blood boiling with excitement. For what though? Jason's eye widened as he saw fast moving figures approaching him and Luna. Each letting out war cries. His eye narrowed and he exchanged a look with Luna. She had a wide smile on her face and Jason could see the readiness and bravery in her eyes. He grinded in teeth and nodded.

  Two purple figures shot magic bolts, Luna used her sword to block the shots while they simply bounced off Jason. The two swung their weapons. Luna collided her sword with the first attackers mace and the two were at a power stand off. Pushing against one another. Jason felt himself being lifted off the ground as large talons impaled his chest. He was sent crashing through the roof, dropping his axe. Luna kicked her attackers gut and then kneed him in the jaw, earning a satisfying sound of pain coming from him. She swung her sword but again made contact with her enemies mace. She growled and grabbed him by his arm. He retaliated with punch to her cheek and threw her to the side. Luna shot up and used her wings to shoot herself like bullet toward her attacker. He dodged and kicked her in the side. Luna grunted as she was sent flying into a bookshelf. She landed hard on the ground but moved as her attacker swung his mace, leaving a hole in the shelf. Luna kicked him in his gut and then used her agility to kick him again in his lower jaw. He flew backward and landed on his stomach.

  Luna smirked as she charged her horn with magic. She shot a bolt toward the attacker but he swiftly moved out of the way. Luna shot multiple blasts but the attacker was fast enough to avoid each one. She then threw her sword in front of the attacker, guessing his direction. She was correct as the sword impaled the attackers leg, piercing straight through it. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground, scrambling to pull the blade out. Luna smirked and stood over the attacker. She grabbed the hood he was wearing and lowered it, revealing a stallion. She gave a confused look and looked further down the cloak. Her eyes widened. The Disciples of Tarturus had arrived in PonyVille.